Your BIRTH could have been an incident but Your DEATH should be HISTORY.

Your BIRTH could have been an incident but Your DEATH should be HISTORY.

I was inspired to pen down my thoughts upon the death of APJ Abdul Kalam recently.

It has been a while since I last wrote on my blog. “Busy” would be an excuse, but more so I was not motivated to write. Why? Perhaps too many things were happening that did not allow space in my faculty to reflect.

Upon the demise of the former President, Statesman, Scientist and more importantly a humble down- to- earth human being, Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam, the accolades that still continue to flow kept bouncing in my thoughts.

The only thing that can be spoken of with absolute certainty about LIFE is DEATH. Beyond death it is subject to many ideologies, but what maketh a man is measured by his/her life from birth to death.

I always find it very amusing during funerals, where people actually search deep down to say something nice about the deceased, even though while the person was alive nothing positive could have been said. If only participants see the good in each other and work towards establishing cordiality, the world would be a better place to live. Alas all is not that rosy, idealism is one thing but reality may have  sallow consequences.

Whilst the rest of the world is caught up in the rat race, comes along a soul like Kalam, who seems to be least perturbed by the ever evolving imperious social construct that governs many of human actions.

Kalam’s rise from an impoverished background to an eventual adieu as a Statesman could feed the screenplay for a typical Bollywood movie, but on the contrary it may not, because Kalam was not the typical hero that everyone envisions. From his humble beginnings to his meteoric rise as a scientist, Kalam lived his life in his own terms, never flinching to the call of socio-behavioral entrapment that comes with success. Kalam believed in the power of oneself, always seeking inspiration internally rather than externally. It reminds me of one of Kalam’s quotes, “You cannot change your future, but you can change your habits, and surely your habits will change your future.”

This reminds me of a colleague whom I bumped into yesterday, who asked me this question, “how are you able to look so young?”

I said, “Be happy.” And he said “that is the problem - how?” My answer to that question was, “realize that you are not in control of anything that happens around you. We are living in a world of probability, where every logical, rational, or even emotional action we take only differs in the degree to which the desired outcome may be achieved. The only thing that we “can be” in control of is our mind and mind-set. So how one perceives life is up to the beholder, detaching oneself from the burden of creation would be the first step. Seek happiness within, and not outside, for the external happiness is totally insatiable and you will never be in control of it, and that adds to your misery.”

Kalam also said, “no matter what is the environment around you, it is always possible to maintain your brand of integrity,” and he was a man who lived this to his last breath. So when somebody says it can’t be done, well, Kalam was living proof.

“All birds find shelter during a rain. But eagle avoids rain by flying above the clouds. Problems are common but attitude makes the difference,” Kalam once said in his speech. 

A man charts history only with the right attitude, which comes from within.

So one’s mindset is essential in shaping one’s thoughts and actions. To be successful is easy but to sustain success is often a problem that many face. To that Kalam says, “A fool can become a genius when he understands he is a fool, but a genius can become a fool when he understands he is a genius.” Kalam’s rooted outlook kept his humanity intact despite his achievements.

Beyond his knowledge, skills and statesmanship, Kalam had a good sense of humor. His former colleague at ISRO (Indian Space Research Organization), Nambi Narayanan narrated, “The greatness of the man was his intellectual honesty. In one of our recent interactions, I told Kalam that he might not find everything in my upcoming book flattering. He said, ‘Then I will write the preface.’ " (excerpt from TOI)

Reflecting on Kalam’s journey called life, we have much to learn and put in practice. He carved a milestone in the minds of some but touched the hearts of many more. He stands tall as an inspiration to all.

Goodbye Guru Kalam,

Gone But Will Never Be Forgotten.

A Man Who Made History,

And a Man Who is History Himself.

A tribute to APJ Abdul Kalam (1931-2015)

By

Ravi Varmman Kanniappan

10 August 2015